Mango Resources For You

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1 Maintaining Quality & Marketability of Fresh Mangoes Maintaining Quality & Marketability of Fresh Mangoes Webinar Agenda Date: Tuesday March 17, 2009 Time: 10am PT / 1pm ET Mango Resources For You Wendy McManus, National Mango Board Mango Handling ABC s Jeff Brecht, University of Florida Assessment of Mango Quality Beth Mitcham, UC Davis Distribution Center and Retail Best Handling Practices Steve Sargent, UF & Adel Kader UC Davis General Q&A 1 2 Webinar Overview Mango Resources For You Wendy McManus Director of Marketing National Mango Board Education is a first step to improving quality Awareness and knowledge Better handling practices Improved quality delivered to consumers Better mango eating experience Happier customers Repeat mango purchases Increased mango movement 3 4 Webinar Overview Tools You Can Use Topics we will cover today include Mango Handling ABC s: the mango s journey from the field to the consumer Assessment of Mango Quality: how quality, maturity and ripeness fit together; cultivar differences; and tools for assessing mangos Warehouse/Distribution Center and Retail Best Handling Practices: specific recommendations to improve quality through better handling The National Mango Board has many resources for you Mango Marketing Toolkit POS materials Crop forecast Category development Mango handling best practices Searchable mango supplier database Variety and availability information Mango.org web site is your portal for all of these resources 5 6 1

2 Mango Marketing Toolkit Point-of-Sale Materials Available online at Mango beauty and variety shots Recipes with professional photographs Images of people with mangos Mango selection images and instructions How-to-cut images and instructions Nutrition facts panel and USDA approved nutrition messages Other key marketing messages Order form available at Recipes with tear pads Mango selection and ripening Mango cutting 7 8 Category Development In development, and available soon in the RETAILERS section of Merchandising best practices Scan data, regional trends and performance benchmarks Consumer insights Questions? Household Income INC - $100, INC - $70,000-99,999 INC - $50,000-69,999 INC - $40,000-49, INC - $30,000-39, INC - $20,000-29,999 INC - <$20, RW MANGO TOTAL FRUIT 10 Monitoring & Evaluation of the Mango Supply Chain to Improve Mango Quality MANGO HANDLING ABCs Dr. Jeff Brecht University of Florida AKA The Mango Quality Project A team led by the University of Florida, including colleagues from the University of California Davis, UC Riverside, Univ. Queretaro (Mexico), Univ. Del Valle (Guatemala), EMBRAPA (Brazil), and PEB Commodities (perishables transportation consulting) Monitored mango export harvest & handling from the main production regions in Ecuador, Peru, Mexico, Central America, and Brazil to the supermarket - to find ways to improve mango quality Evaluated mango export handling operations Conducted mango shipping trials from each country to importers and retailers in the U.S. Monitored retail mango displays and evaluated hundreds of mango quality samples taken at the supermarket (consumer) level

3 How Does a Mango Get From the Tree to the Supermarket? The Big Picture Let s go through the steps that it takes to get a great tasting mango from its country of origin to a retail store in the U.S. There are variations from country-to-country, and among companies, but mangos go through a number of common steps I will emphasize the practices that members of the mango industry commonly follow to ensure that the best quality mangos possible are provided to their customers Harvest Transport to Packinghouse Mangos are harvested when the fruit have reached their full size and have begun to ripen, which starts inside the fruit The fruit are carefully detached so that they don t fall to the ground, and are collected in plastic field crates The mangos are transported from the farm to the packinghouse by truck The fruit may need to be covered to protect them from the sun Reception at the Packinghouse Washing and Pre-sizing Upon arrival at the packinghouse, the mangos are unloaded to a shaded area and handled in turn The mangos are inspected by USDA APHIS phytosanitary inspectors and by packinghouse quality control personnel and must pass both inspections before they can proceed. First the mangos are washed, then they are pre-sized according to USDA APHIS guidelines for quarantine treatment

4 Hot Water Quarantine Treatment Hydro-cooling & Staging for Packing Mangos exported to the U.S. must be immersed in 115 F(46 C) water for 60 to 110 minutes depending on variety and fruit size in USDA APHIS-certified hot water treatment systems After their hot bath, the mangos are cooled in water that is no cooler than 70 F(21 C) as prescribed by APHIS Cool enough to guard against hot water injury Not too cool to counteract the hot water treatment s effectiveness against fruit flies Now the mangos are ready to be packed! Packing Palletization The mangos are coated with carnauba wax for appearance and for protection from water loss The mangos are sorted and graded to remove the fruit that are not good enough to satisfy the U.S. market Most mangos are hand sized as the cartons are filled Mangos are unitized onto pallets for subsequent handling for: Increased efficiency To reduce unnecessary handling that increases injuries Forced-Air Cooling & Refrigerated Storage Loading onto Transport Vehicles Mangos are cooled to their optimum storage and transport temperature of 54 F(12 C) Mangos from South and Central America are transported in marine containers by boat to the U.S. Mangos from Mexico are transported to the U.S. by truck Mangos may be stored at 54 F(12 C), but only long enough to accommodate shipping schedules

5 Transport to the U.S. Handling at U.S. Border/Port Facility Marine containers are accumulated at a port container facility Upon reaching the U.S., the mangos must pass through customs and may be inspected APHIS inspectors look for any evidence of pests like fruit flies The transit time to reach the U.S. varies from 2 days for northern Mexico to as long as 3 weeks for Brazil Importer Fresh-cut Processing Now the mangos go to the importer s warehouse Before the pallets are racked, a QC inspection is performed The mangos may be re-worked to meet buyer specifications Fresh-cut processing of mangos Specialized companies may process mangos into fresh-cut products for sale to retailers and food service companies In contrast to whole mango fruit that are best held at 54 F(12 C), fresh-cut mangos are best held at 41 F(5 C) Retailer Distribution Center Delivery to Retail Store Finally, the mangos reach the retailer s distribution center, where they are unloaded and another QC inspection is conducted before the mangos are accepted Mangos are delivered to the retail stores as part of the stores daily orders Mangos should still be held at 54 F(12 C) or warmer, even at the store

6 Retail Display Mangos are usually displayed on free-standing displays that allow the fruit to continue ripening and develop great aroma! Attention to rotating the display keeps the most desirable mangos available for customers Questions? Mango Maturity, Ripeness & Quality Assessment of Mango Quality Beth Mitcham UC Davis Maturity The stage of development after which harvested fruit can continue to ripen normally and attain good eating quality Best determined by internal color Ripeness Degree of fruit softness is best indicator of progress to fully ripe stage Quality The degree of excellence or superiority The characteristics that make a mango a mango Sugars, acids and aroma content, texture Assessing Maturity & Eating Quality Potential Skin Color Skin color Dark green to light green in some cultivars Red color is not related to maturity or ripeness Fruit shape Fullness of cheeks Shape of shoulders Internal flesh color* Greenish-white to yellowish-orange Maturity at harvest determines eating quality potential Consider that advances in skin and flesh color should have occurred during transit Skin color is not always related to internal color and ripeness!

7 Cultivar Differences Fruit Shape Tommy Atkins Mango Kent Mango Keitt Mango Fullness of cheeks Elevation of shoulders above the stem attachment 37 Haden Mango Ataulfo Mango 38 Immature Mature Flesh Color Changes Associated with Mango Ripening Skin color changes from green to yellow (in some cultivars) Flesh color changes from greenish-yellow to yellow to orange (in all cultivars) Decrease in flesh firmness and increased juiciness Starch conversion into sugars Increase in soluble solids content Increase in carotenoids and decrease in chlorophyll content Increase in characteristic aroma volatiles Eating Quality Tools to Assess Quality Soluble solids content Indication of sugar content Approximately 7-9% at harvest; 13-20% in ripe fruit Depending on growing conditions Measure with refractometer Increases with ripening from starch conversion Affected by harvest maturity Firmness and texture Degree of softening Measured by hand feel or with penetrometer Aroma Indication of ripening and eating quality 1. Refractometer estimate of sugar content 2. Penetrometer fruit firmness, degree of ripeness 3. Visual color for skin and flesh color

8 Soluble Solids Content Firmness Collect flesh tissue Entire half of fruit Plug taken down to seed Penetration Force Juice pieces of flesh, place drop into refractometer Will continue to increase in fruit not yet ripe Use 5/16-inch (8-mm) tip Fruit Texture Analyzer (FTA) Güss Manufacturing Source of Equipment: Yellowpages Hand Firmness Changes with Ripening 1 = Very hard, No give in the fruit 2 = Sprung, can feel the flesh deform 2 3 mm (break) under extreme finger force, very rubbery Changes in total soluble solids content and firmness during ripening of 'Keitt' mangos Firmness (lbs-force) TSS 16 3 = Near Ripe, 2 3 mm deformation achieved with slight finger pressure, fruit deforms with extreme hand pressure 4 = Ripe or eating soft, whole fruit deforms with moderate hand pressure 5 = Over-ripe, whole fruit deforms with slight hand pressure Total soluble solids (%) Firmness (lbs-force) Very Hard (1) Sprung (2) Ripe (4) Days after harvest at 68F (20C) Relationships Among Quality & Maturity Factors Common Defects Upon fruit arrival, check internal color, firmness and soluble solids content Penetrometer will be much more accurate than hand feel Internal flesh should be at least yellow in color; better with 50% orangish-yellow color Soluble solids content will vary depending on stage of ripeness Remember, soluble solids increase as the fruit soften further Very firm mangos should have approximately 7 to 9% SSC Fully ripe mangos generally have as much as 13 to 20% SSC Check for defects Latex staining (only affects appearance, not eating quality Hot water injury Decay Anthracnose Stem-end rot Chilling injury

9 Latex Staining Hot Water Injury Beth Mitcham Anthracnose Decay Stem-End Rot Chilling Injury Mango Storage Temperatures Chilling Injury Symptoms on Mangos Uneven ripening Poor color and flavor development Surface pitting and lenticel spotting Grayish scald-like skin discoloration Flesh browning in severe cases Mature green mangos Store/ship at 54ºF(12ºC) Ripe mangos Store/ship at 46ºF(8ºC) to 50ºF(10ºC)

10 Questions? Distribution Center and Retail Best Handling Practices Steven A. Sargent and Adel A. Kader University of Florida and UC Davis Unloading Leave trailer refrigeration running when dock is at or below 54 F(12 C) Turn off refrigeration when dock is warmer than 54 F(12 C) Move pallets directly to the cold Inspect fruit inside the cold storage area prior to placing the pallets on racks Initial Inspection Only 1 or 2 QC inspectors for uniform results Sample procedure By lot: variety, grade By location: front, middle, rear, top, center, bottom on both sides Immediately measure pulp temperature Photograph fruit, cartons and pallets Initial Inspection evaluating the fruit Overall condition and ripeness Flesh color, firmness and Brix Incidence and severity of defects, damage, disorders and decay, external and internal Reworking Wash hands anytime fruit is handled; gloves optional Set tables at a comfortable height; adequate lighting Rotate the fruit for increased speed and accuracy Handle the fruit gently to prevent impact injuries Return the fruit to same boxes to maintain trace-back

11 Storage Store pallets on racks at 54 F(12 C) to 60 F(15 C) Maintain relative humidity at 90 to 95% Scrub ethylene gas from cold room or one fresh air exchange each day FIFO (First in, first out) Staging for Loading Refrigerate staging area at 54 F(12 C) to 60 F(15 C) If the dock cannot be properly refrigerated, stage loads in cold storage area; protect dock staging area from the sun Load pallets directly from the cold room into the trailer to avoid warming Reworking Prior to Transport to Retail Stores Workers must be thoroughly trained in mango handling practices and fruit clarification, especially for sorting Recognize important external defects Able to pack by fruit size and position in carton Able to stack and secure pallets properly Refrigerate staging area at 54 F(12 C) to 60 F(15 C) If the dock cannot be properly refrigerated, stage loads in cold storage area; protect dock staging area from the sun Load pallets directly from the cold room into the trailer to avoid warming Loading - 1 Inspect each trailer for cleanliness; clean, sanitize if necessary Schedule routine trailer inspection for damage, water leaks, reefer unit operation Develop a loading plan to ensure best location for mixed loads DC Ripening Rooms Can Be Used for Mangos Loading - 2 Use air bags or bracing for spacing between pallets and between pallets and trailer walls Maintain recommended air temperature not less than 50 F(10 C) Minimize exposure of mangos to extreme outside temperatures during loading and unloading Most distribution centers have special rooms for fruit ripening that are used extensively for bananas and may also be used for avocados, kiwifruit, tomatoes, stone fruit and European pears. Pressurized or forced-air ripening rooms maintain fairly uniform product temperatures. These rooms can be used to ripen mature-green mangos

12 Optimal Conditions for Mango Ripening-1 Optimal Conditions for Mango Ripening-2 Fruit temperature is the most important factor in ripening mature mangos. The best temperature range for ripening mangos is 68 F(20 C) to 72 F(22 C) Ripening at 60 F(15.5 C) to 65 F(18 C) may result in the most attractive skin color, but flavor remains tart; these mangoes require an additional 2-3 days at 70 F (21 C) to75 F (24 C) to attain sweet flavor Ripening at 80 F(27 C) to 86 F(30 C) may result in mottled skin and strong, undesirable flavor and ripening is retarded above 86 F(30 C) The optimal relative humidity range is 90 to 95% to prevent excessive water loss and shrivel. Ethylene (100 ppm) treatment for 24 to 48 hours (depending on maturity since less mature mangos require longer duration) induces faster and more uniform ripening, provided that carbon dioxide concentration is kept below 1% by ventilating the rooms with outside air once per day. After triggering ripening with ethylene for 24 hours, mangos kept at 65 F(18 C) to 72 F(22 C) will ripen in 5-9 days. Once ripened, mangos can be kept at 50 F(10 C) to 55 F(13 C) and 90-95% relative humidity for up to one week Ripening Conditions of Mangos vs. Other Fruits Flesh Firmness vs. Ripeness Stage of Mangos 69 Fruit Exposure time (hours) 1 To 100ppm ethylene Range of ripening temperatures 2 Avocado ºF/ 15-20ºC Banana ºF/ 14-18ºC Kiwifruit ºF/ 12-22ºC Mango ºF/ 20-22ºC Pear ºF/ 20-22ºC Tomato ºF/ 18-20ºC 1 Shorter duration for more mature fruit 2 Faster ripening rate at higher temperatures 70 Ripeness stage Flesh firmness (lb-force with 5/16 inch tip penetrometer) Notes Mature-green >14 Treat with ethylene for 48 hours Partially-ripe Treat with ethylene for 24 hours Firm-ripe 6-10 Best stage to send to retail stores Soft-ripe 2-6 Best stage for eating Over-ripe <2 Good for juice Retail Store Fresh-cut Mangos Unloading/Holding on Docks Minimize the time when trailer doors open at the store Train retail store personnel proper temperature management Designate retail store personnel to help in product Perform QC inspection at the retail store upon delivery Provide prompt feedback to inspection results to the DC Growing market for fresh-cut mangos Fruit are handled at lower temperatures, 41 o F(5 o C), and have different BMP s than those for whole fruit markets

13 Retail Store Retail Store Storage in Walk-In Coolers Produce Managers should regularly inspect back room and cooler area Minimize time that walk-in cooler doors are open Use strip curtains on walk-in cooler doors Properly place calibrated thermometers in back room and cooler Store all product at proper temperature; mangos not below 10 C If no cooler space, store in back room; order mangos more frequently Stocking and Display Preparation/Rotation Avoid storing mangos at the store; display upon delivery Display at ambient temperature, by size, ripeness stage and variety Inspect display several times a day; remove out-of-grade fruit Retail Store A Note on Recordkeeping Keeping records is an important part of a quality assurance program to show inspectors. Assign an employee for the quality control (QC) program Prepare a list of all operations and procedures (such as those described in the Mango Best Handling Practices document) Develop a form to record all operations and procedures and when performed Questions? Maintaining Quality & Marketability of Fresh Mangoes Speaker Contact Information Wendy McManus National Mango Board Tel: wmcmanus@mango.org Jeff Brecht, Ph.D. University of Florida Tel: ext 213 jkbrecht@ufl.edu Elizabeth Mitcham, Ph.D. University of California, Davis Tel: ejmitcham@ucdavis.edu Steven A. Sargent University of Florida Tel ext 215 sasa@ufl.edu Adel Kader, Ph.D. University of California, Davis Tel: aakader@ucdavis.edu James Gorny, Ph.D. University of California, Davis Tel: jrgorny@ucdavis.edu 77 13